Drive chain



May 1, 1923.

C. F. MEIER DRIVE CHAIN Filed Dec. 23 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

May 1, 1923. 1,453,592

c. F. MEIER DRIVE CHAIN Filed Dec. 23 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 31; @MM Wm M A TTORNE Y.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 1, 1923.-

o rr

FREDERICK MEIER, 01 WHITE HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB 1'0 WILMOT ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A "COBPO- RATIQN OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRIVE CHAIN.

Application filed December 23, 1921. Serial No. 524,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FREDERICK MEIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of White Haven, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania,have invented an Im rovement in Drive Chains, of which the follbwing is a specification.

. My invention relates to drive chains, which are adapted for use in heavy duty work, and it has for one of its objects to provide an improvement in the means whereby the members of the respective links may be collapsed or moved toward each other and adjusted at angles with respect to each other to efiect removal oithe pintle or pivot connecting adjacent overlapping ends of the said links to thereby efi'ect disconnection of the ends of adjacent links.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be ap arent from such description.

n order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompan ing drawing in which certain forms of mec anlcal embodiment of the invention are shown.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of chain embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section of the portlon of chain shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a view showing the central portion of a pivot employed in a chain structure in section and also showing members of the respective adjacent links in side elevation and arranged substantially at right angles with respect to each other;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the end portion of a link and of the end of an adjacent link, the said links being'adjusted to positions substantially at right angles to each other;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pivot employed for connecting the ends of ad acent links;

Fi 6 is a view in side elevation of a pair of a jacent links in alinement and in telescplped adjusted relation with respect to each ot er 1 7 is a view of a portion of chain in top plan and partly in horizontal section, showing a slight modification of the structure;

8 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section of still another modified construction;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the portion of chain shown in Fig. 8, showing the links in diii'erent relative position with respect to each other;

Fig. 10 is a view showing adjacent links of the chain structure in substantially right angular position with respect to each other into which position they are adjusted in the process of disconnecting adjacent ends of links;

Fig. 11 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section showing another modified construction; and

Fig. 12 is a view in elevation of the inside of one of the side members of one of the links shown in Fig. 11.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings: 1 and 2 designate alternate links of the chain structure, the adjacent overlapped ends of which are pivotally connected together by the pint-1e or pivot which comprises the intermediate or central relatively wide fiat portion 3, the oppositely projecting pivot or trunnion portions 4.- and the heads 5 upon the outer ends of the trunnion portions 4. Each of the side members of the link 1 is provided with outwardly extending raised or projecting portions 10 at its opposite ends, each of which is provided with a vertical notch, as indicated at 11, in which notches the heads 5 lie or areseated when the links of chain are connected together, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each of the side members of the link 1 is provided with horizontal slots 12 at their opposite ends. If desired, these slots may be continuous throughout the length of the side members.

The opposite side members of the links 2 are provided with slots 13 adjacent their opposite ends. The trunnion or pivot portions 4 of the pivot member extend through the slots 13 and 12, as is clearl indicated, and the outer ends of the said 53 ots bear a inst or upon the said portions 4;. Itwill observed that when the chain is in extended position, as indicated in Figs. 1 to 6,the

eads 5 and the portion 3 of the pivot (the said portion 3 being oblong in transverse section) extend in a direction or in a plane substantially at right angles to the portion of the chain within which the said pivot is situated.

The bottoms of the notches 11 are beveled and inclined inwardl and the inner sides of the opposite ends 0 the heads 5 upon opposite sides of the pivot or trunnion portions 4 of the pintle are correspondingly shaped so that when the chain links are connected together and the pivot is in proper position for connecting the adjacent overlapping ends the said heads are properly seated and adjusted within the notches 11.

The construction shown in Fig. 7 is similar in principle to that shown in the preceding figures of the drawings but differ in details therefrom. In said Fig. 7 the pintle or pivot member, comprising the parts 3, 4 and 5, is identical with the pivot or pintle member shown in Fig. 5.

The links, however, are of somewhat different construction. In the said figure each of the links 20 comprises opposite side members as shown. Each of the said side members is provided at one end with an outwardly raised projecting portion 21 having a vertical notch 22 therein and each side member is provided with an inwardly inclined portion at 23 and parallel portions 24, the latter being situated closer together than the opposite end portions of the said side members. These portions 24 engage the inner portions or inner ends of the trunnion or pivot portions 4 of the .pivots and rest against the opposite ends of the intermediate relatively fiat portion 3. These portions 24 are situated inside of the overlying or overlapping adjacent end portions of the opposite sides of the next successive link. The adjacent end portions 25 of the opposite side portions of the next adjacent or successive link are situated upon the outer side of the portions 24 and are in engagement with the outer portions of the trunnion or pivot parts 4 of the pintle which extend through the slots 26 insuch portions. The heads 5 are seated in the notches 22 as indicated. It will be noted that the differences between the construction shown in Fig. 7 and the construction shown in the previous figures of the drawing reside prin cipally in the fact that each ofthe links is identical in construction and that each is provided adjacent one end upon the outer side thereof with an outwardly extending raised or projecting portion and that the opposite ends of the said links are flat and that said opposite ends are situated inside of the overlapping ends of the opposite sides of the next adjacent link.

In both forms of construction the adjacent ends of any pair of links are disconnected in the same mannerx Disconnection is effected by adjusting adjacent links into positions substantially at right angles to each other as shown in Fig. 3 and thereafter moving the ends of the side members of one of the links inwardly upon the central relatively flat portion Thereafter the, ends of the side members having the projections and notches thereon are moved inwardly so as to permit or cause the pintle to be turned or adjusted into the position as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in which position the said pintle lies in the plane of the chain and also within the plane of the slots in the adjacent overlying end portions of the opposite side members of the links. hen in this position and when the adjacent links are collapsed or shortened the pintle may be removed by moving the same laterally in either direction with respect to each other.

In the construction as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the links 1 and 2 are arranged alternately with respect to each other.

In the construction as shown in Figs. 8

to 10 inclusive the (hain comprises the links- 30 and 31 arranged in alternate relation with respect to each other. These links are pivotally connected together by the cylindrical pintles 32 which are provided with, oblong vheads 33 at their opposite ends.

These pintles extend through openings or slots 34, and 35 which are situated adjacent the opposite ends of each of the side mem bers of the respective links 30 and 31.

T he side members of the links 30 are each provided adjacent their opposite ends and upon their outer sides with raised or projet-ting portions 37 each of which is provided with a vertical notch- 38 in which the heads 33 of the pintles are seated when the links of the chain are in connected relation to each other. The inner surfaces of each of the side members of the links 30 are flat,

as indicated, and the opposite ends thereof overlie or overlap the outer sides of the adjacent end of the two alternate or oppositely disposed links 31.

Referring now to the lings 31 it will be noted that each side member thereof is thickened or in the form of a head, which thickening is effected by providing an inwardly projecting portion 39. The remaining portion of each of the said. side members is relatively thin. The inner surface of each of the said projections is adapted to rest against the inner surface of the adjacent relatively thin portion of the opposing side member. When it is-desired to separate or disconnect the ends of adjacent links the side members of the link 31 are 'ad- .justed with relation to each other into the 30 of the adjacent link'are moved inwardly so as to disengage the heads 33 fronr the construction. In this form of construction the pintle or pivot pin 32 also is identical with the pintle or pivot pin correspondingly numbered inFigs. 8 to 10. r

Each of the side members of the link 40 I is provided at its opposite ends and upon its Iclaim and desire to secure by to each other as is shown in Fig.

each other 50 as to move the said projec tions 41 out of registry with respect to each other. Thispermits the colla sing or the moving toward each other of t ese opposite side members which in turn permits the collapsin 0r movin toward each other of the overlappin en 8 of the opposite side members 30. fter this has been accom- .plished in the manner asindicated in connection with Figs. 8 to 10 of the drawings the pintle 32 ma be turned into sition so as to bring the ead, 33 thereof mto alinement with the slots through the opposite side members of the links 30 and 40.

It will be seen that I have rovided, a chain'of the character indicated which is strong and capable of withstanding hard and heavy usage and that when desired the adjacent ends of adjacent links may be read ily disconnected.

Having thus described my invention, what Letters Pat out is: a

1. A chain comprising links, each of which consists of oppositely disposed side 7 members, theopposite ends of-the side members of alternate links overlappin the jacent ends of the side members 0 adjacent links, and the side members of each of the said links having elongated slots in their op osite ends, which slots extend longitudina 1 of said members and a pintle for connectin adjacent overlapping ends of the said links, the said pintles each consisting of a central portion oblong in cross section, said portion being of greater width than the width of the said slots, and pivot portions projecting from the opposite ends of said central" portion, and means upon the outer ends of said pivot portions for retainin the links thereon, adjacent links of said 0 ain being adapted to be turned to positions at right angles with respect to eachother after which they may be moved inwardly toward each other and the said links after such latter movement'beina adapted to be moved into alinement with each other to cause movement of the pintle into position to permit removal of the links therefrom.

2. A drive chain comprising links, each of which includes opposite side members the adjacent ends of the side members of adjacent links being in overlapped relation with res ect to each other and the said side mem ing elon ated openings extending transversely t erethroug h, pintles for hingedly connecting'the adjacent overla pin ends of the side members of the sai lin the said pintles each comprising a central portion which is oblong in cross section, the said portiorr extending transversel of the said openings, and the said central portion havin pivot portions projecting outwardly there rom, the said pivot rtions extending through the openings 0; the overlapping ends of adjacent links, and elongated heads integral with the outer ends of said pivot portions, the said heads being seated in notches upon the outer sides of the overlapping ends of the side members of a link or retaining the side members of adjacent links upon said pintle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto signed my name this 19th day of December, A D., 1921.

CHARLES FREDERICK MEIER.

rs of eachv of the said links hav- 

